


One Who Argues Best, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-10-02
Updated: 2000-10-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Danny brings his neighbor to the office so she can work on a school project and she ends up causing a bit of turmoil within the West Wing.





	1. One Who Argues Best, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own em, except for the one you don't recognize...Aaron  
Sorkin is God!! ::smiles::  
NOTES: I got this idea when I was talking to myself at school (don't ask,  
it's just how I think) and this is one installment in a new universe of mine.  
The universe is called the "Kids Rule" universe, in which The West Wing finds  
a bit of enlightment from a source 18 years old or younger. Hey, it's  
entirely possible, and kids are getting smarter and smarter with each  
generation.  
SUMMARY: Danny brings his neighbor to the office so she can work on a school  
project and she ends up causing a bit of turmoil within the West Wing.

"I'm just saying is all." RJ exclaimed as she watched her neighbor sign  
the paper that said she could enter the second most powerful office in the  
country, after Bill Gates's office.  
"I'm starting to regret agreeing to this." He said playfully. "Sign the  
paper, RJ." He ordered. She smiled and did as she was told.  
"I'm a very convincing soul." She replied.  
"Unfortunately." Danny teased as he grabbed her brand new visitor's pass  
and clipped to the front pocket of her overshirt.  
"You know, as a writer, I'd think you'd be proud of me." She said after  
thanking the guard and following Danny into the building.  
"Whatever you do, don't talk to anyone you recognize." Danny warned.  
"Okie doke." RJ replied then paused. "What does the President look like  
again?"  
"Robin Jakob McInt-" Danny started to exclaim.  
"Oh, relax." She interrupted then grinned. "Fish boy."  
"Oh, God." He muttered as he held open the door for her. "If you see CJ,  
you're not going to say a godd-"  
"Watch the language." RJ warned playfully.  
"Don't you say a word to her." Danny said.  
"What could I say? I mean, I could probably tell her about the fact that  
you never stop talking about her, that you want to marry her, that you really  
want the fish back so that you can hold it over her head, like that's  
possible, and have her beg you to let you --" RJ rambled.  
"Shut up." Danny interrupted. She grinned.  
"Where's the fun in that?" She asked as they moved into the press room.  
Danny walked to his desk and checked the schedule.  
"I agree to let you come here so you could work on your damn project, not  
so you can ruin my life." He said as he marked the time for the press  
conference.  
"Can't I do both?" RJ asked quite smoothly. Danny glared at her. "Oh,  
come on, Red. You know you love me." She paused. "Of course, maybe not as  
much as you love--"  
"You finish that sentence, I will whack you with my notebook." Danny  
warned. RJ grinned and sat down in his chair.  
"Yes, sir." She teased as she leaned back.  
"Get out of my chair." He said.  
"When's the press conference?" RJ asked as she stood up again and watched  
him sit down.  
"It's at nine." Danny replied. "There might be another one at four  
depending on how the pitch goes today."  
"Okie doke." RJ said and looked at the clock. "So we got twenty minutes.  
Can I go wander for a bit?"  
"No. You're going to sit here and help me organize my desk." Danny said  
pointedly.  
"That really does not sound like fun." RJ muttered.  
"You wanted to come on my time, you're not gonna make me look like a  
jerk. You're gonna stay close to me and your'e gonna behave." Danny said  
slowly. RJ shook her head.  
"Not my style. Besides, you're not my father." She teased. Danny stuck  
his tongue out at her. "In any case, it's not that hard to make you look like  
a jerk. Come on. At least gimme a tour of the press room."  
"I'm starting to regret your choice of major." Danny muttered as he got  
to his feet. "There's the press room, here are the desks. Bang, tour's over."  
He said. RJ frowned.  
"Damn, that's boring." She mumbled. Danny chuckled.  
"Come on. It's a little better down here. I'll show you the wire room."  
He exclaimed and led the way. Fifteen minutes later, and several jokes at  
each other's expense, the two returned to Danny's desk to get ready for the  
Press conference. RJ sat in Danny's desk again and waited for lecture #2.  
"Now, you're not to say a word during the conference. You're gonna sit  
right next to me and you're gonna sit silently." Danny said as he searched  
for his pen. "You're gonna avoid eye contact with anyone. You're not going to  
snicker, gasp, sigh, roll your eyes, comment or react in any way. This  
conference is going to be a normal one, and you're not going to disrupt it."  
"Your faith in me is overwhelming, Red." RJ muttered.  
"But well-founded." Danny retorted. "Come on." He said and led her into  
the room where the reporters were gathered. RJ smiled and talked to the  
reporters she knew and even to the ones she didn't. She knew quite a few of  
them, having made a few hundred calls around the country in honor of her  
research project, a project every single reporter in the room was interested  
in reading eventually. When CJ emerged, only Danny noticed, for the rest of  
the reporters were chatting with RJ or amongst themselves about RJ.  
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen." CJ said loudly with an amused smirk, not  
knowing who the young woman was that attracted so much attention today. "I  
see we have a visitor. Who may we thank for that?"  
"Uh, that would be me." Danny called as everyone took their seats. RJ  
waved and then got a look from Danny.  
"Well, welcome to the White House. Let's get started." CJ said uneasily,  
not really appreciative of the relationship Danny and this stranger seemed to  
share. "First on today's agenda..." She started. Slowly, the press  
conference got underway, regardless of the observer. RJ did as she was told,  
not reacting once to anything, even when her close friend Jack Williams asked  
a really stupid question. Everyone else reacted, but not RJ. CJ answered it  
smoothly and then moved on to a question from Danny.  
"What's the word on the Economic pact? When is its deadline?" Danny asked.  
"The pact will be sent to the floor a week from next Thursday. The  
expectations are pretty high, naturally, but it is more than likely going to  
be passed into law." CJ replied evenly. Suddenly a soft chuckle filled the  
room for a brief second. Danny glared at RJ who was shaking her head. "Do you  
have a question, Miss . ." CJ started, but then remembered she didn't know  
the kid's name.  
"McIntyre." RJ called.  
"McIntyre. You have a question?" CJ asked. Danny frowned and shook his  
head at CJ as if to say 'take that back'. CJ paused. RJ looked at Danny and  
he shook his head at her too. "Do you or don't you?" CJ asked. RJ looked at  
her.  
"Yes." She answered finally.  
"Do you have a press license?" CJ teased.  
"I'm the Editor in Chief for the Aerhart Academy Newspaper. Does that  
count?" RJ replied evenly. CJ paused.  
"Sure. What's your question?" She asked. RJ smirked at Danny and then  
leaned forward in her seat. Danny closed his eyes and waited.  
"Given how the decrease in unemployment and the subsequent rise in wages,  
plus President Bartlet's secret plan to fight inflation," RJ inserted with a  
smirk. "has affected this country's general economic status, what does the  
White House have to say about the numerous criticisms applied to the pact's  
address, or lack of address, to the various stock market crashes that occured  
in 1989, 1996, 1998 and 2000 the day before Ron Erlichman was instated into  
office?" Silence filled the room. Reporters waited with their pens poised.  
Danny bit his lip, caught between being eager for an answer and feeling  
really bad for bringing RJ along. In his office, Josh Lyman stared at his TV  
in shock. CJ paused as the words of the question managed to sink in.  
"The numerous criticisms that have been applied to the pact's section  
devoted to the stock market have been varied between each critic. Some people  
say it's too much and others say it's not enough. Naturally, in politics,  
people are going to wind up disagreeing with some part or another. The White  
House has been working hard on rewriting this pact so that it can statisfy a  
majority of the people and still help stablize the economy." She replied  
finally, but that wasn't enough.  
"But when you take into account the fact that 17 different senators have  
mentioned problems with the way that the pact virtually ignores the  
unpredictability of the stock market in such a way that the pact itself could  
become useless should another crash occur, shouldn't that section of the pact  
be a primary concern? Every crash that has occured was unpredicted, save the  
2000 crash. Shouldn't this mean that that unpredictibility should be added to  
the equation?" RJ asked, her brow furrowed as she began to get carried away.  
Danny planted a hand on RJ's shoulder and pulled her back against the chair.  
CJ paused again. She couldn't think of an answer. Economics was not her field.  
"I'll have to check into that. Unfortunately, our economists are all out  
buying champagne." CJ said finally. The reporters chuckled as they wrote.  
"That's all today, ladies and gentlemen. Have a good day." She added before  
grabbing her folder and leaving the podium. RJ felt a hand drag her back to  
Danny's desk and then she met Danny's angry glare.  
"Hey, she asked me if I had a question." She pointed out before he could  
scold her.  
"You didn't have to ask a second question." He retorted.  
"Hey, it was a good question, okay? One that needed to be answered."  
"Not necessarily. Just because *you* wanted to know the answer doesn't  
mean that it *had* to be answered."  
"Hey, at least I didn't ask about the damn gun control thing." RJ  
exclaimed.  
"Okay. You're right. *That* would really have been a disaster." Danny  
agreed.  
"But I'd be right on that one too." RJ added.  
"RJ, don't press it." Danny warned. "They're pitching the best deal they  
can get."  
"Goddamn waste of time." She muttered. Danny rolled his eyes.  
"You know, I'd think that you of all people would stand up for gun  
control." He replied.  
"I'm all for gun control, but not when it's in the self-interest of the  
politician who's writing it. I mean, come on. Bartlet passes this weak-ass  
gun control bill a year into his term and that's that. He gets shot at for  
twenty seconds, and oh, wow! There's a gun problem in the country! We'd  
better fix it so that people don't shoot at *us* again." RJ retorted.  
"He didn't just discover it overnight." Danny pointed out.  
"But he's acting like he did. They all are. Bartlet is a pansy, working  
for re-election. The problem is that he might not get it, even if he deserves  
to." She retorted.  
"So you agree that he deserves to?" He asked.  
"Sure. I mean, I'm a democrat, Danny, and I love Josiah Bartlet, but that  
doesn't mean he's not a pansy." RJ said with a smirk. "I mean it took him  
nearly two years to get his administration into gear, and the only thing that  
got him to do that was Mandy's memo and your feature on it."  
"So you think Mandy's memo was a good thing?" A familiar voice exclaimed.  
Danny bit his lip as RJ turned and faced Josh Lyman.  
"It had its merits." RJ replied after she recovered.  
"Like what?" Josh asked pointedly.  
"Like it got you and your staff off their asses and into gear." She  
replied without a blink. Josh stared at her incredulously and then at Danny.  
"Who's this?" He asked. RJ rolled her eyes.  
"Danny." CJ's voice called. Danny sighed. This day was just getting  
worse. He turned and faced her.  
"Yes?" He asked with a pleasant grin.  
"Can I talk to you?" She asked.  
"So you're saying that the President isn't a good president?" Josh asked.  
"That question is redundant and no, that's not what I'm saying." RJ  
replied as Danny moved over next to CJ.  
"Who is that?" CJ asked softly.  
"That's my 18-year-old neighbor who's doing a project on American  
government, specifically on the Bartlet Administration." Danny replied  
efficiently.  
"She's writing a paper on the Bartlet administration?" CJ asked in  
surprise.  
"No, she's writing a paper on American government. She's just using the  
Bartlet administration as a sort of control group." Danny replied.  
"Control group? What, are we lab rats now?" CJ said with as straight a  
face as she could manage. Danny frowned.  
"No, you're-" He started.  
"Danny, I was teasing you." CJ interrupted. "What's she doing here? I  
mean, was she planning on... what?"  
"She wanted to sit in on a press conference. I told her to keep her mouth  
shut, but you ruined that with your asking her if she had a question." Danny  
said with a bemused smirk. CJ rolled her eyes.  
"She asked a valid question, even if it did throw us off. What has she  
been doing? Should I know anything about this project of hers?" CJ asked.  
"She's been calling around, I know. She's talked to a lot of the members  
of the DC press corps, and I think she's called a few other people. She got  
through to that producer in LA, and I think she talked to the Lydells and-"  
"What, as in Lowell Lydell's parents?" CJ asked, her face slightly pale.  
Danny nodded, noticing with a raised eyebrow.  
"Yeah, and she's also been doing a lot of research on the members of the  
senior staff, including you, actually." Danny said with a grin. "She won't  
give me anything though. Says I have to wait for the finished product."  
"I can't wait." CJ said dryly. "Wait. Where'd she go?" She asked with a  
frown. Danny looked back at his desk and groaned as he saw that both RJ and  
Josh had disappeared.

TBC...

  

  


	2. One Who Argues Best, The 2

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own em, except for the one you don't recognize...Aaron  
Sorkin is God!! (::smiles::)  
NOTES: The "Kids Rule" Universe (See part 1)  
SUMMARY: Danny brings his neighbor to the office so she can work on a school  
project and she ends up causing a bit of turmoil within the West Wing.

"How can you say that?" Josh asked as he walked down the hallway. RJ  
shook her head with a goofy grin and shrugged.  
"I'm saying that because that's what I believe. Everyone's allowed to  
believe something." She retorted as she followed him. "Bartlet passed a guns  
bill with a great deal of triumph but it was a piece of shit. It could have  
been *so* much better, but you people were so eager to get the right number  
of votes, so hard-assed on being the popular guys, that you let the piece  
slide down to a lower level of effectiveness."  
"That's not true. The bill wouldn't pass the way it was. It was better to  
get what we got than nothing at all." Josh retorted.  
"True, but that's the politics. The way politics works these days, we're  
never gonna get guns off the street." RJ pointed out.  
"So what do you suggest we do? Overthrow the government?" He asked  
sarcastically.  
"You *are* the government, Lyman." She replied smoothly.  
"Exactly." Josh replied.  
"The question is, are you a good one?"  
"Yes."  
"You sure?"  
"Yes." Josh repeated as he stepped into his bullpen. "Donna, this is . .  
. uh."  
"Boggles the mind that you people won an election. Hi. RJ McIntyre." The  
young woman introduced herself.  
"Donna Moss. I saw you on TV there. You interested in economics?" Donna  
asked.  
"No, I'm interested in arguing." RJ replied with a grin.  
"Obviously." Josh muttered.  
"Well, don't worry about Josh. He may be a sore loser, but he recovers  
quickly." Donna assured her.  
"Hey!" Josh exclaimed.  
"That's useful. Thanks." RJ said with a grin as she pulled out a black  
pen and a small notepad and flipped it open. She scribbled as she muttered.  
"Lyman... sore loser." She murmured.  
"You're not really writing that, are you?" Josh asked.  
"Every little bit helps." RJ replied as she put the pad away and capped  
her pen.  
"Explain this project to me again?" Josh asked as he led her into his  
office.  
"No. I've already explained it twice. You're the Deputy White House Chief  
of Staff. If you need it explained three times, I'm gonna run away  
screaming." RJ retorted.  
"You need to learn about a thing called respect." Josh said dryly.  
"First of all, *you* invited me back here so that we could argue some  
more and second of all, look who's talking." RJ replied.  
"Are you saying I don't respect you?"  
"I'm saying you don't respect a lot of people. "Lady, the God you pray to  
is too busy being indicted for tax fraud" or something like that. Telling  
Danny that CJ "coddles" the reporters. Need I continue?"  
"This conversation really starting to disturb me." Josh muttered.  
"Hey, I'm doing a research project. Therefore, I do research. I know a  
hell of a lot more about a hell of a lot more things than the average person,  
and I'm willing to bet that I know a few things *you* don't know either." RJ  
retorted.  
"I seriously doubt that." Josh declared.  
"Whatever you say." RJ said with a grin. Josh paused.  
"Gimme an example." He demanded.  
"No." RJ replied as she scribbled in her notebook again.  
"What are you writing?" He asked.  
"'Josh Lyman equals idiot.'" RJ replied slowly.  
"Seriously?" He whined.  
"Of course not. I'm writing a thought I had for the other thing." She  
replied.  
"What thing?"  
"A thing."  
"What thing though?"  
"My thing. It's got nothing to do with you."  
"What were we talking about?"  
"Why the Bartlet administration is full of losers."  
"You're a Republican, aren't you?"  
"Immigrant ancestors started on the Democratic foot. Six generations  
later, we're still Donkeys." RJ replied without looking up from the notes she  
was scribbling into her notebook.  
"What was the exact point that you had that we're losers?" Josh  
challenged.  
"That your latest message to the public is that an issue isn't important  
until it affects important people." RJ replied smoothly.  
"Huh?" Josh grunted. Neither of them noticed as Leo stepped into the  
doorway, immediately halting upon seeing that Josh had a rather young guest.  
"Okay, I'll speak slow and not use big words." RJ said. "Bartlet passes  
pitiful gun bill because that's what got the votes. Months later, he walks  
out of a building and is shot at. Now, all of a sudden, because it was *his*  
life and the life of his daughter and staff, gun control is a billion times  
more important." She said. "He said at the conference that 'decisions are  
made by the ones who show up'. What I want to know is where the hell have you  
guys been?"  
"Running the country!" Josh retorted.  
"And you're doing a great job. Really. Only one real solid victory in  
your first year. I mean, Mendoza is a great guy. When I talked to him, he  
was--" RJ started.  
"You talked to Roberto Mendoza?" Josh asked.  
"You want a complete list of the people I've talked to? Roberto Mendoza,  
Jonathan and Jennifer Lydell, Ted Marcus, Al Keifer, Joseph Crouch--" RJ  
stopped when Josh started waving his hands.  
"I get the idea." He muttered. RJ smirked.  
"I'm doing my work. How about you?" She asked.  
"What's going on here?" Leo asked. Josh looked at him as RJ turned about  
thirty degrees to do the same.  
"Leo, this is RJ McIntyre, a friend of Danny's. She and I were just--"  
Josh started.  
"Rambling." RJ muttered.  
"So I noticed. You have a problem with the President, Miss McIntyre?" Leo  
asked.  
"No, sir. I have no problem with the President." RJ replied. "In my  
opinion he's a great guy."  
"But?" Leo pressed.  
"He hasn't let the greatness out yet." She replied honestly. Leo smirked  
a little as he moved completely into the office.  
"He's working on it." He said finally. She grinned and nodded.  
"And I was trying to tell Mr. Sore Loser here, it's about time." She  
replied.  
"No, you were trying to tell me that the only reason we're launching on  
gun control all of a sudden is because we were shot at." Josh interjected.  
"Deny it." She challenged him as she looked back at him. "Tell me that if  
Jed Bartlet had walked out of the Newsuem that night and gone home nice and  
safe, this administration would still be spending its time currently working  
on gun control." She added.  
"Listen, this is all well and good, but the truth is that it happened and  
now we're fighting for gun control. That's all that matters." Josh replied.  
"So what happens to people who've been victims of guns in the past fifty  
years? Are they forgotten, any less important?" RJ retorted as CJ and Danny  
appeared at the doorway.  
"Of course not." Leo replied. "They're no less important."  
"Then what took you guys so long?" RJ asked sharply. Josh noticed that  
she seemed to have paled a bit since he'd first seen her. Danny noticed too  
and frowned in worry. "I mean, how many gunshot victims out there have been  
sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for you people to stand up and say  
that gun control is important? How many people have had to die? Or their  
lives changed by one split second? People other than you guys?"  
"I don't know. How many?" Josh snapped. "I mean, what the hell does it  
mean to you? We *were* shot at, here. Just because you believe in gun  
control, doesn't mean you have the right to tell us how to do these things."  
"Josh, calm down." Leo warned. RJ coughed weakly and blinked. Danny moved  
forward and put a hand on her back.  
"You okay?" He asked softly. She shook him off and started again.  
"Who am I? I'm someone who knows where she's coming from just as much as  
you think you do." She said before blinking again.  
"What's going on?" Josh asked, getting worried.  
"Danny, where'd I put my thing?" RJ asked softly. Danny gulped.  
"By my desk. Let me go get it." He said quickly and darted out the door.  
RJ tilted a little, prompting Leo to catch her slightly.  
"Here, have a seat." He said in concern.  
"Um, could you hand me the trash can?" RJ asked weakly as she hiccuped  
slightly. Josh frowned and did so, just in time to watch RJ vomit into it.  
Danny ran back into the room with a small black bag and winced to see her  
throwing up.  
"I need a glass of water." Danny exclaimed as he fumbled with the zipper  
of the bag and knelt next to RJ. Donna moved quickly and came back with one.  
"If she's throwing up, she shouldn't drink anything." Josh pointed out.  
Danny waved him off and took a bottle of pills out of the bag. RJ grabbed the  
glass of water and waited for Danny to hand her the pill that he pulled out  
of the bottle before gulping it down and then thrusting her head between her  
knees. Silence filled the room as everyone reeled from what had happened.  
"It'll take a few minutes." Danny said softly to no one in particular. RJ  
nodded meekly and tried to breathe.  
"What's going on here?" Leo asked softly. RJ looked up and sighed, her  
eyes red and face pale, making her seem almost albino like.  
"Two years ago I was in an accident of sorts. Since then, my health  
hasn't exactly been top notch and I may have forgotten to take my meds this  
morning." She said weakly. Danny groaned.  
"You didn't take it?" He asked.  
"Don't give me a lecture, Red. That's what I have my mother for." RJ  
retorted weakly as she breathed deeply and quickly.  
"What was the accident, if I may ask?" Josh asked. RJ looked at him.  
"I was shot." She said, her eyes meeting his.

TBC... .

  


	3. One Who Argues Best, The 3

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own em, except for the one you don't recognize...Aaron  
Sorkin is God!! (::smiles::)  
NOTES: The "Kids Rule" Universe (See part 1)  
SUMMARY: Danny brings his neighbor to the office so she can work on a school  
project and she ends up causing a bit of turmoil within the West Wing.

Josh looked at Leo as he felt his foot being jammed firmly down his  
throat. Leo looked back and then at RJ who had fit her head between her  
knees. "Shot?" Josh said weakly. Danny nodded.  
"Yeah." RJ muttered. "As in a bullet ripped through my body at an extreme  
rate of speed and force, ripping apart many parts of my insides." She added  
as she tried to breathe slowly. Josh gulped and looked down at his desk.  
"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Sam exclaimed as he squeezed into the room  
with Toby right behind him.  
"Josh, I'm starting to believe you need a bigger office." Leo muttered.  
Josh just nodded, still speechless. He was trying to think of something to  
say to RJ after everything else that he'd said.  
"And here comes the next contestant." RJ muttered and looked up. She was  
slightly less pale at least. "Aha, the happy-go-lucky speech-writer and his  
ever-so-eloquent boss." She murmured.  
"I guess that would be us." Sam admitted. "Who are you?"  
"Sam, Toby, this is RJ McIntyre. RJ, I guess you know them already." CJ  
said with a weak smile. RJ nodded weakly as she leaned back in the chair.  
"Yeah, I come across them from time to time. The joys of researching."  
She murmured.  
"Researching?" Toby repeated as he leaned against the wall.  
"RJ is writing a research project on American politics and government."  
Danny offered.  
"And I'm using you guys in the Bartlet administration as my format." RJ  
added.  
"You're the kid who asked the econ question at the conference?" Sam  
asked.  
"Well, that was me, but technically, I'm 18, so I'm not a kid. Keep in  
mind, this also means that I'm eligible to vote." RJ replied with a weak  
grin. Danny smiled as he saw her casual demeanor returning.  
"That's not entirely comforting." Josh said softly. RJ looked at him.  
"Don't worry about it, Josh. The whole thing about Washington D.C. is  
debating and opinions. Of course, if you ask me, in doing your research for  
gun control, you might have thought to look up gunshot victims in the last  
ten years, in which case you would have come across my name." She pointed  
out.  
"Not to be off-topic, but should Danny be back here?" Sam asked.  
"Thanks." Danny said with a weak grin.  
"He's with me." CJ and RJ said at the same time.  
"What they said." Danny added. Leo chuckled.  
"Are you okay?" Donna asked. RJ nodded.  
"Yeah, I'm okay. I think I messed Josh's trashcan up a little bit, but  
it's okay. I hadn't eaten much today anyway." She muttered.  
"It interrupted the excitement a little bit. I must say, I'm a little  
disappointed. It was rather interesting seeing Josh meet his match." Leo said  
with a grin. RJ chuckled while Josh blushed slightly.  
"I'd take offense to that if it weren't true." Josh retorted.  
"Hell, I'll argue with you any time. I just can't really stand up to do  
it quite yet." RJ interjected weakly.  
"What's going on in here? A pow-wow?" An incredibly familiar voice  
exclaimed. Danny rose to his feet as the President stepped into the room.  
"Someone has gathered my entire senior staff in Josh's office as opposed to  
mine where they're supposed to be right now."  
"I'm sorry, Mr. President. We were dealing with a sort of...  
situation." Leo said as he stood a little straighter. Jed nodded and looked  
at RJ who had not climbed to her feet.  
"I'd stand up but I really can't." She said weakly. He raised an eyebrow.  
"Why not?" He probed.  
"Undue pressure on my spinal cord?" She exclaimed softly.  
"I'm sorry to hear that. By the way, we took the stock market crashes  
into consideration in a completely different section. The criticizing  
senators neglected to read that part." Jed said slowly with a smirk and a  
twinkle in his eye.  
"Actually, I think they were referring to the downsizing of market  
revenue over the next ten years having more than a 35% repercussion on the  
outcome limit of the nation's economy, but that could just be me." RJ said,  
her voice still weak as she struggled to regain her energy. Jed looked at Leo  
with a surprised smirk. Leo smiled weakly back.  
"Mr. President, this is RJ McIntyre. She's a student at Aerhart Academy  
who's doing a research project on American goverment and politics, as well as  
some specific work on our administration. Sir." Josh said quickly. Jed nodded  
and looked at RJ again. She waved weakly.  
"Are you quite all right, Miss McIntyre? You look a bit ill." He said,  
frowning a bit in concern. She shrugged.  
"I had something of a relapse." She admitted. "Two years ago I was shot,  
sir, and ever since then, my medical status has been less than exemplary."  
Jed glanced at Josh and then back.  
"Shot? I'm sorry to hear that." He said sincerely.  
"It's okay. Two years go by and I'm better than I was." RJ admitted.  
"I've been arguing with Mr. Lyman here about your policies on gun control for  
about the last twenty minutes until I had my relapse. He was unaware of my  
circumstances which made the debate a lot more fun."  
"How do you mean?" CJ asked with an eyebrow raised.  
"I'm sure there's a fascinating story that Miss McIntyre has to tell, but  
I'm also sure that this is the White House and you all have jobs to do." Jed  
exclaimed before RJ could say anything. Sam and CJ nodded, moving out of the  
room.  
"Mr. President --" Leo started.  
"Leo, I need you to call Fitz for me and tell him that we need to talk  
about the thing. In the meantime, I'd be interested to hear what you've got  
to say, Miss McIntyre. It's always good to hear from our nation's youth." Jed  
exclaimed, noticing that Toby was lingering in the room.  
"Pardon me while I scoff at that, sir." RJ said with a grin.  
"You think we don't pay enough attention to this nation's youth?" Josh  
asked.  
"It's not that. It's just that this nation's youth doesn't really say  
enough for you to pay attention to. Me, I never stop talking because that's  
all I have left to do." RJ added. "I work on the school newspaper, I'm in the  
debate club, and I work on the student leadership, all because I can never  
shut up and I don't get enough of telling people what my opinion is. That  
doesn't mean that I am the exact representative of this nation's youth.  
That's what I'm saying."  
"Touché." Jed replied with a grin. RJ shrugged.  
"I like to talk. So shoot me." She said with a dark smirk.  
"I don't think so." Jed replied, reciprocating the darkness with his tone.  
"Then get rid of the guns." She said.  
"It's not that simple."  
"Maybe if you had tried a long time ago, you'd be a lot further ahead  
now."  
"RJ, don't start this now." Danny said softly. "You don't wanna to go  
through that again."  
"Are you my mother?" RJ asked with a grin. "Cause you keep paraphrasing  
her."  
"I'm not your mother. I've never met your mother." Danny retorted.  
"He's more of a father figure." Josh interjected.  
"Could use one of those." RJ muttered. "I think I'd better stand up now."  
"Why?" Jed asked.  
"Because I want to go home and sleep. I'm tired and I'm not going to get  
any further with that guy cause he's swallowed his leg." RJ exclaimed,  
jerking her had towards Josh as she tried to stand up again...  
unsuccessfully.  
"Easy there." Danny said as he helped her fall back into the chair.  
"Maybe I should call my wife. She's a doc--" Jed started.  
"Goddamn it, I spent 11 months learning to walk again and I did for a  
reason." RJ cursed. "I can do this." She added softly. "I also know all about  
your wife, Mr. President. I know about your wife, about your staff and about  
you. You know damn well how frustrating it is to be like this, so I'll thank  
you to put your worry somewhere else where it more appropriately belongs."  
"What do you mean, I know damn well?" Jed asked, slightly alarmed. RJ  
paused and looked at him. There was a long silence.  
"I've always been good at logic puzzles. Figuring things out." She said  
randomly. Another long silence followed. "Let me try this again." She said  
softly and tried to stand. Danny was quick to help her. Jed was watching her  
carefully, as was everyone else. Toby was just making a note of everything  
the kid was saying, some of it for future conversations and some of it for  
future speeches. Meanwhile, RJ was successful at getting to her feet.  
"It was an honor meeting you, RJ." Josh said suddenly. RJ smiled weakly.  
"And you, Mr. Lyman." She replied softly. "Think about what I said. I  
mean, it might be a good idea to get the message across a little bit of a  
broader spectrum; make it clear that this doesn't necessarily mean that."  
"Just out of curiosity, what happened?" Toby asked. "Two years ago?" RJ  
paused and looked at him.  
"I got into an argument with a guy about the way he was treating a  
younger kid. I started to walk away and he pulled a gun out and shot me right  
in the middle of the campus. Needless to say, he's not been set free since."  
She replied uneasily. "Also needless to say, I've been taking a nice firm  
stance on gun control ever since." She said before looking at Josh. "I hadn't  
really thought about gun control before that day. I'd fought in favor of it,  
but that wasn't enough. In a way that makes me like you. Not noticing until  
it affected me directly. The difference is that you've had the power for  
nearly two years. I've been fighting for a voice for that long."  
"You got yours today." Jed said suddenly.  
"And it's been somewhat refreshing." Josh added.  
"I'll say." Toby said softly. RJ smiled appreciatively and nodded.  
"Thanks, guys. It was a pleasure meeting you all. I'll be sure and send  
you a copy of the project when it's done." She added with a devious smirk.  
They chuckled and watched her leave.  
"Back to work, sir?" Josh said after a silence.  
"Yeah, Josh, back to work." Jed murmured as he headed for the door. Down  
the hall, RJ moved for Danny's desk while he went to get his coat. CJ stopped  
him with a weak smile.  
"She's a good person." She said softly. "I'm glad you brought her."  
"She *is* a good person." Danny agreed with a weak smile. "I just wish  
this wasn't the life that was given to her. She fights so hard, whether it's  
about gun control or about her health."  
"Well, as long as she takes the meds, she'll be fine, right?" CJ asked.  
Danny paused and looked at his hands.  
"Let's just say I'm glad she's starting out so strong so young." He said  
softly before looking at RJ. "Because she's not going to get much of a chance  
later on. Her current life expectancy is 32." He murmured. CJ held in a gasp  
and looked at RJ who had fallen asleep in Danny's chair. "This is what guns  
do to people. They don't just take their lives quickly; they can take them  
away slowly, one day at a time, one breath at a time. I know why she fights.  
I help her fight sometimes. She wanted to come here and see a press  
conference. I brought her." He said softly and looked at CJ. "That kid has  
everything she needs to be the President of this country... and she'll  
most likely die before she's even eligible."  
"Oh, Danny." CJ said softly. "I'm sorry." Danny sighed and slipped his  
jacket on.  
"Hell, so am I." He whispered and then kissed CJ on the cheek. "I'll see  
you later." He said softly before moving over to RJ and awakening her. "Come  
on, kid. Let's get you home." He said softly before helping her out of the  
West Wing. CJ watched them go and then looked away. With a deep sigh, she  
moved towards her office, unaware that she was not the only one in the West  
Wing afflicted by a flurry of thoughts buzzing through her head. Elsewhere,  
Josh thought about RJ's arguments, as did Leo and the President. Toby  
scribbled down some notes that better research steps be taken for legislature  
and Sam wondered just how many 18-year-olds there were out there who were  
willing to go toe to toe with the President in a debate. And CJ thought of  
all those who had to die so young just so that history could make a point.

TBC... .

  


	4. One Who Argues Best, The 4

RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own em, except for the one you don't recognize...Aaron  
Sorkin is God!! (::smiles::), and yes, I did write "Before You Knew" so  
that's mine.  
NOTES: The "Kids Rule" Universe  
SUMMARY: Danny brings his neighbor to the office so she can work on a school  
project and she ends up causing a bit of turmoil within the West Wing.

"Josh." Toby's soft voice exclaimed. Josh looked up at his friend. Toby  
walked forward and put a large envelope on his desk. "Special delivery from  
Danny. We each got a copy. The moment of truth." He added with a weak smirk  
and walked out again. Josh frowned and opened the envelope. He pulled out  
several things. He smiled as he saw the packet of papers that was covered by  
a professional report cover. He opened the cover and read the heading on the  
title page:

"American Government & Politics: The Past, Present and Future"  
"In specific, why they're all wrong"  
"By Robin Jakob McIntyre"

Josh smiled and looked at the other things that were in the envelope.  
With the paper were two articles clipped from a newspaper. One was an  
editorial by RJ describing her visit to the White House and how it had  
unexpectedly ended up. The other was a brief column of lines that looked like  
it could be a poem, as Josh quickly discovered it was. He leaned back in his  
chair and began to read it, a curious smirk on his face.

"BEFORE YOU KNEW

I've always stood behind you  
Believe in what could be  
I've always thought that you knew  
Always thought that you could see  
Now I've noticed all your changes  
It's like you never knew  
About the anger and the rages  
That your people have gone through  
It didn't start with you  
On that one fateful night  
It started before you knew  
This has always been our fight  
Where were you when we were crying  
The pain of fire ripping through  
Where were you when we were dying  
All of this before you knew  
It took me forever to understand  
All the things you didn't do  
While I was relearning to walk and stand  
You really never knew  
Don't you scorn me as I stand here  
I suffered long before you  
I'm still prepared to stand near  
Even though you never knew  
I know you've now faced the pain  
The light has shined for you  
But what of all the others whose pain  
Existed before you knew?  
I'm angry that it took so long for you to see  
Now you're doing all the things you never do  
Your anger and pain seems to mean more than me  
I, the one who was shot before you knew

~R.J. Mac"

Josh stared at the poem, reread and then smirked slightly. Then he  
grabbed a thumbtack and moved to pin the poem to his bulletin board, as a  
sort of reminder perhaps. A reminder that in a country that had 275 million  
citizens, every one of them had a story to tell, not just the ones in office.  
If anything, RJ had taught him that politics should not stand in the way of  
righteousness. And that meant that stories had to be told. Politics wasn't  
going to be a game anymore. Not to Josh, though he would still play it and  
play it well. Now it was not *just* a game, it was a mission. People like RJ  
and many others, they would not hide in the shadows. And politicians would  
not be allowed to hide in the shadows on any serious issue just because of  
the points it would cost.  
That was Josh's new purpose.  
Maybe it was worth campaigning on.

THE END... .

~D.C.  
Batman

PS ~ If anyone is interested, I also have a draft of the editorial that RJ  
supposedly wrote. If you would like to read it, let me know. I wasn't sure  
about posting it to the list. It restates a lot of what RJ has said  
throughout the story, but with a bit more of a written element to it. Not  
spoken. Does that make sense? Anyway. Ciao.


End file.
